Improvement in incendiary shells



Patented Get.. 6, 1863.

N.PETERR, FHOT0-LITHOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON D C G. W. STAFEGRD. l Y

sneu

yof the city, county,

` that of the UNrTnn t STATns- PATENT Ormea C. YV. STAFFORD, OF NEWY YORK, N. Y.

IIVHPROVIVIENT IN INYCENDIARY SHEVLLS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 40.l9. dated October '(3, lShB.

Be it known that I, GHAnLns W. STAFFORD, and State of N ew York, have invented a certain new and useful Sub- Oaliber Incendiary Explosive Shell ,t and I do hereby declare the following to be a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of thisspecication, in which- Figure l is a front view of my said shell.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the saine.

Similar` letters of reference indicate correspending parts in both views.

The subj ect of my present invention is a subcaliber shell carrying an incendiary material in an annular chamber around a solid rear part ofthe shell, the periphery of the said annular chamber coinciding with that of the hollo'w front portion containing the burstingcharge, and the two chambers being so connected that the explosion of the forward or central chamber will ignite the incendiary material in the annular rear chamber, as hereinafter described.

The invention further consists in devices for securing the ends of the casing, hereinafter described, closing the windage, imparting rotary motion to the shell, and supporting` and guiding its respective ends.

To enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to fully understand and use the same, I willprocced to describe its construction and operation.

A represents a sub-caliber shell provided toward itsl front end with a chamber, A', for containing the burstingcharge. The rear part of the said shell is formed of a solid core, a2, of reduced diameter, around which is an annular chamber, C, inolosed by a cylindrical wrought-iron casing, B, and containing an incendiary material. An aperture, c, com1nu nicates from the chamber A to the chamber C, in order to insure the ignition of the incendiary material in the chamber G by the explosion of the charge in the chamber A. rI he rear part, a, of the shell A has a diameter suficiently less than its front portion to iit within the rear end of the casing B, and the forward end of the said casing fits in a rabbet, b, so as to bring its periphery exactly ilush with largest part of the shell A. The incendiarymaterial within the chamber C may be introduced through an aperture, d, closed by a screw-plug, l).

E is a .sabot formed in front with a cavity fitting over the end of the casing B and the inclosed rear end, a', of the shell A. The face of the said sabot around the central aperture is made of conical or convex form, to impart the required strength without unnecessary weight. F is a pin which so connects the shell Aand sabot E as to prevent their separate or independent rotation.

To the rear of the sabot E is iirmly secured a concave disk, G, adapted to be expanded by the longitudinal pressure or concussion of the explosion, so as to close the windage and enter the rifle-grooves of the gun. The periphery of the packing-disk G is divided by a slit formin g two separate leaves or iianges, g g, while toward the center it is undivided.

H represents a broad band fitting upon the -forward part of the shot A, and covering and securing the front end of the casing B, so as to prevent its displacement until the proper time. The band H is connected by oblique or spiral arms I I with an encircling-ring,4 J, whose external diameter is equal to the internal diameter of the bore of the piece with whichthe projectile is to be used.

b represents a shoulder formed on the periphery of the shot, to support the band H longitudinally and prevent the displacement of the bearing H I J by its inertia at the insta-nt of starting, or by friction against the bore. The band H and the bases of the arms I I are made broad, to give them the necessary strength, and the said arms taper outward to a breadth equal to that of the ring J. The peripheries of the ring J and sabot E are turned off to it the bore as accurately as possible eon sistently with ease of loading.

The bearing H I J may be cast in one piece of brass or malleable iron, and both this and the bearing or sabot E, being turned from the center of the shot after being placed in position on the latter, serve to center and guide the shot with perfect precision within the bore.

The explosion of the charge in the chamber A may be effected by a percussion-fuse, K, or by a time-fuse or in any other suitable way.

The wrought-iron casing B is of great importance, to impart the necessary strength to a shell of reduced diameter.

The operation is as follows: rlhe first effect of the explosion of the charge in the gun is to expand the packing-disk G- and drive its pen V'lili(Ysph'eriki rsistance'.

ripheryinto thegrooves of the gun,by means of lwhich yrotation is 4imparted 'to the shot through the medium of the sabot E. The

' bearing H I J supports and guides the front `of the-.shell accurately through the center of the bore, and on its leaving the gun the re-v sistance of the atmosphere removes the sabotl E, and, acting against the oblique or spiral arms I, maintainsthe rotation imparted by the rifle-lands. H-I .T is likewise beneficial in reducing the at- On entering an opposing body the charge within the chamber A is exploded by means of any suitable fuse, and, blowing out the plug c', communicates with the contentsof the incendiary-chamber C, igniting the latter within. the structure, and thus completing the work of destruction.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

.. 1.-The.combination ofthe explosive chamber A, solid central core, a2, annular incendiary-chamber C,and casing B, arranged and operating iny manner substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

The skeleton form of the bearing' 2. The Combination, with the Shen A and l `detachable casing B, of the skeleton 'bearing H I J, constructed as described, and employed to temporarily secure the forward end of the casing B and support and guide the shell within the bore.

3. The combination7 with the shell A and casing B, of the sabot E, adapted and employed, as described, to temporarily secure the rear end of the casing and support and Y guide the rear end of the shell within the bore.

.4. The concave expansible packing-dislLG,.,

Yformed at its periphery with two or more dvided ilanges, g g, and undivided toward the center. Y'

5. The shoulder b', in the described combination with the bearing H I J, constructed and operating as and for the purposes described C. W. STAFFORD.

fitnessesz g CHARLns SMITH,

OcrAvIUs KNIGHT. 

